Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista gave two abused and neglected pit bulls a forever home after they had been abandoned by their original owner.
The 50-year-old might be best known for throwing opponents around the wrestling ring and playing a character who threatens to remove people’s spines, but the two new additions to his family prove he’s really a gentle giant.
Bautista adopted the lovely dogs from Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center in Tampa, Florida, after the shelter put a plea on Facebook asking for someone to take them in.
The two six-year-old pit bulls, Maggie and Ollie, have been together since they were puppies but they were abandoned at the county shelter after their owner had a baby.
On Facebook, one of the rescuers wrote:
They have no idea what they did to deserve this. It just breaks my heart. They lived their whole life together!!! They need a home without cats!
Please consider these two together. They just lost everything they knew and loved.
Just a few days after the post went out, the shelter announced the lovely dogs had found their forever home – with an A-lister, no less.
Earlier this week, Bautista took to Instagram to share a series of photos of his new pets, describing how the dogs not only needed him, but he needed them.
He wrote:
These beautiful babies spent the first six years of their lives neglected and abused. And now they are going to spend the rest of their lives being spoiled and loved.
Eternally grateful to the amazing animal lovers… in Tampa who worked so hard to keep them safe, find them a home and most importantly keep these two together.
Ladies and gentleman I introduce to you….. Maggie and Ollie Bautista.
Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center shared a picture of the two pit bulls standing proudly alongside their new guardian – get it – and explained the pups had won the ‘doggy lottery’.
Their new owner is said to be spoiling them with ‘tempurpedic dog beds’ and ‘doggy doors everywhere’ in Bautista’s ‘huge, gated property’.
The shelter added:
They really will live the good life from here on out!!!
The two pit bulls certainly deserve some love after their traumatic start to life and Bautista definitely looks like he’s up to the task!
Amazing.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.